65
Metascore
10 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80Chicago ReaderAndrea GronvallChicago ReaderAndrea GronvallThis uplifting documentary breaks no new ground stylistically, but the story it tells is urgent and compelling.
- 80Los Angeles TimesKenneth TuranLos Angeles TimesKenneth TuranIf anything is missing from this inspiring film, it is a deeper examination of why, given how common-sensical these approaches are, so few other schools have been able to accomplish what Providence St. Mel's has.
- 75Chicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertChicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertImpressive, although not quite the film it could have been. It asks few hard questions.
- 70Village VoiceVillage VoiceThe film never completely shakes the feel of being more an advertisement than a documentary, but once it settles into a concrete illustration of Adams's philosophy ("You've got to believe and expect that the children can achieve"), it becomes riveting.
- 70The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisThe New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisMore an infomercial than a movie, Rollin Binzer’s awed documentary is, at best, a well-earned tribute to one man’s unwavering vision and unrelenting hard work.
- 70Washington PostWashington PostThough it drags on a bit, the film is certainly good-hearted, informative and relevant. We look through the doors of the St. Mel's classrooms and we see the whirrings of a school that can help a smart West Side kid land a spot at MIT. That, at least, is something to celebrate.
- 63Chicago TribuneMichael PhillipsChicago TribuneMichael PhillipsFor the film to be truer to the school’s reputation, it would have had to dig a little deeper.
- 60Time OutS. James SnyderTime OutS. James SnyderSwooning but shallow.
- 50San Francisco ChroniclePeter HartlaubSan Francisco ChroniclePeter HartlaubThe Providence Effect" is flawed, but it's still a moving film.
- 38New York PostV.A. MusettoNew York PostV.A. MusettoAdams and the school's students and teachers deserve an A-plus, although the film rates a much lower grade. It unfolds lifelessly, as Binzer parades a contingent of talking heads before the camera in what could pass for an infomercial.